Bendigo Health board chairman, Bob Cameron and Exemplar Health chief executive Michele Morrison were among the group as Lendlease project director David O’Shaughnessy conducted a construction site tour which took in views of the internal atrium ‘main street’ entrance, new emergency department, external courtyards and the new cancer centre.

Friday July 8: Bendigo Health chairman, Bob Cameron spoke of the importance of good nutrition in patient recovery, as he announced the opening of the new Bendigo Hospital kitchen and supply department today.“This is a significant and exciting milestone for healthcare in Bendigo, and indeed regional Victoria,” he said.

“The new hospital will help put patients first by providing better access to high quality healthcare services in a modern facility, and opening the new kitchen today is a highlight,” Mr Cameron added.

Bendigo Health’s supply and procurement staff members have also moved into the new facility and the supply department is now operational at this new location. It’s the hospital’s central point for distributions and dispatches, handling more than 25,000 dispatch and delivery movements each year.

With the new food services operated by facilities management company Spotless, the delivery of meals across all of the existing Bendigo Health sites continues by now utilising a state-of-the-art kitchen. The new kitchen produces 750 meals, three times per day, and meal destinations also include Bendigo Health’s aged-care sites located across the city.

The food services facility now offers added capacity for staff to produce more meals with greater efficiency while meeting today’s stringent hygiene standards.

“This high-tech hospital kitchen, located in close proximity to the newly opened loading dock on Drought Street and the goods supply area, is designed to produce a high volume of meals and to maintain the highest standards in food safety and hygiene,” Mr Cameron said.

“It’s clear to see that the Bendigo Hospital Project has created an optimal environment for the Spotless staff in this kitchen to ensure nutritional care for Bendigo Health patients, through healthy, efficient food delivery.”

According to Spotless facilities director, James Cochlan, the new Bendigo Hospital food services will be evermore central to the overall patient experience.

“Our team will ensure the consistent delivery of high quality food services to patients, as we utilise technological advancements in food preparation, distribution, and safety,” Mr Cochlan said.

The food services facility opened with 80 kitchen staff that made the transition across to new employer, Spotless from Bendigo Health. This recent changeover is ensuring continuity across the board.

“We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, and we’ve welcomed Bendigo Health staff as they come across to the Spotless team, as part of this handover,” he added.

Exemplar Health chief executive Michele Morrison said the kitchen opening marks a team achievement which has delivered an early project milestone for the Bendigo Hospital Project.

“Many components of this project are well advanced, and this week the new kitchen and supply department have become the new hospital’s first fully functioning services, signalling exciting times ahead as we move forward to its opening in late January 2017,”Ms Morrison added.

Despite the freezing conditions we’ve experienced this winter, construction of the new hospital continues on schedule and stage-one of the project has surpassed 85 per cent completion.There are 300 workers active on the site, involved with many facets of the hospital’s development.
For instance, work continues in and around the 46 courtyards and terraces, incorporating many creative features, and some with sweeping city views. Right now we’re seeing the planting of mature trees, while smaller shrubs are due to be planted in the coming months, closer to spring.MERCY STREET
Workers are busy along the extended stretch of Mercy Street (Mercy Street East), which once opened, will form pedestrian and vehicle access into Arnold Street. Mercy Street will be the primary vehicle route to the hospital for the general public, and currently asphalt, concrete kerbing, edging, channelling and footpath construction work is occurring.NEW KITCHEN
The new kitchen opened at the Bendigo Hospital Project, on Tuesday July 5, launching the new hospital’s first operational service. This new food service, operated by facilities manager Spotless, now services the existing Bendigo Health services. The new kitchen service signals the start of much activity in the new loading dock and goods supply area, with Bendigo Health’s supply and procurement services also starting in the new hospital this month. Alongside, on Drought Street, works continue with footpath surfacing, landscaping and the completion of the emergency department access and ambulance bays.HERITAGE VALUED
On the Barnard Street campus, the restoration and development work by Bendigo Health, at the Anne Caudle Centre, continues while the Bendigo Hospital Project is currently embarking on an internal fit-out for the old ‘lying-in’ hospital, which is destined for a repurposed future.LANDSCAPING
Landscaping across the new hospital’s two sites will create an essential balance, with the clever use of lines, materials, feature work and plants. Currently plans for the demolition of the old kitchen, staff amenities building and Perrin Plaza are about to become reality, and from this month onwards, these works will proceed. Once the non-heritage buildings fall, major earthworks and landscaping work will begin in earnest.MAIN STREET
Fondly known as the Main Street, the internal entrance to this world-class hospital development is making major headway. Right now, skilled workers are busily fitting-out this prominent atrium style forecourt. The floor paving is at least 70 per cent complete, as workers also focus on features such as the eye-catching timber-lined staircase and its glass balustrade.TESTING
Inside the building the focus has turned to testing the many systems that support the new hospital’s functionality. Successful pressure testing, for instance, has been achieved in areas such as the operating theatres and the hospital pharmacy areas. Successfully tested also, is the mobile phone reception, as it is vital that mobile connectivity reaches all areas of the building. Other equipment such as steam boilers and the security system have been tested recently, with both gaining a positive outcome.

Stage 2 of the Bendigo Hospital Project includes the construction of a 65 metre, 2 storey, air link bridge over Arnold Street. This will link the helipad and car park, which is currently under construction, with the new hospital building. more »